And as first stated, use this lifeline to help you through this tough time if you need more than the postings. It seems even harder now that so many are trying so hard to move back to normal…whatever that was.

Bird birthing updates, Duane’s cool labyrinth, news from a New Mexico naturalist you may know and grass and forbs contest ready for viewing. Keep the info coming folks. You are making many people very happy by sharing your time in nature.

The response and number of hits to the site from our members has been remarkable, y’all. Keep the experiences and joys coming and remember that if you have some needs we can meet, give us a holler. What you have continued to accomplish during this unfamiliar part of our journeys is amazing!

A small victim of this current quarantine and shelter in place is the missed opportunities of spring. So many of our Master Naturalist volunteer service projects literally take bloom during these spring months each year – we have a new crop of trainees joining in some chapters, plant sales and plantings of native butterfly gardens, youth education programs as Texas students cycle into earth sciences in the spring, bird and butterfly migrations, and so much more that isn’t able to happen in its traditional form right now!

To that end, I would like as many of you as possible to respond to this statement: “In this unprecedented moment of the pandemic, reflect upon what nature means to you and what benefits it provides you, especially in times like these.”

If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know. While this is a video exercise, if you would rather share your written thoughts, a meaningful poem or quote relevant to this task, and/or a nature photo you took, please share those as well!

Again, stay safe and healthy, and thank you for your participation in this exercise! It’ll be so nice to hear your voices and see your faces at this moment in time!

Since 2009 the Texas legislature has designated the third full week in October as Texas Native Plant Week.

This year we have partnered with Texas Parks & Wildlife and Texas Agrilife Water University to celebrate Texas Native Plant Week with an iNaturalist Bioblitz.

The point is to see how many plants can be observed using the iNaturalist app during the week of October 20 – October 27. All plant observations made during the week in Texas with a photo will automatically be added to the project.